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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Last updated on - Aug 29, 2018, 12:43 IST

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This is how Shruti Haasan reacted on her father Kamal Haasan quitting movie career for politics

It might come as a shocker to all the Kamal Haasan fans that the actor has decided to join politics completely and end his film career post Shankar's 'Indian 2'. In an interview with a certain section of media, Kamal Haasan revealed how his family, especially his daughters reacted on his decision of quitting movie career for politics.

Initially, both his daughters were upset with his decision. Shruti Haasan who is part of the film industry and has followed her father's footstep of pursuing career in acting did not like the decision. In fact Shruti questioned him about what will happen to the artist which resides within. To which Kamal has convinced her saying that his decision is a call. Kamal Haasan feels that he should join politics completely with all his heart and that is why he took the decision. However, as we say, all wells that ends well, Kamal's family is with him and have supported his decision over the time.

But your film contributions will be missed, Mr. Haasan!

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

One of the talented actors that India has witnessed, Kamal Haasan, turns a year older today. Born on November 7, 2014 to criminal lawyer D. Srinivasan and Rajalakshmi (a housewife), Haasan started acting at a very early age. He worked as a child artist in innumerable Tamil movies. Not many are aware that Kamal Haasan even won the prestigious President's Gold Medal for his performance in Kalathur Jannamma at age 4. He had a spark of being a star since childhood.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

After acting in several films as child actor, Kamal Haasan's major breakthrough film as a lead actor came in the year 1975. The film was called Apoorva Raagangal and Kamal won hearts with the portrayal of a rebellious youth in love with an older woman. The actor won his first National Film Award for playing the role of a guileless school teacher who cares for a childlike amnesiac in Moondram Pirai. Haasan was appreciated for his performance in Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Nayagan (1987), which was also rated by Time magazine as one of the best films in cinema history. Since then he has appeared in a number of films.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan has played a variety of roles in his career. It won't be wrong to call the actor the master of disguise. To bring novelty and creativity to his characters, the actor has played with his looks in several movies. From playing an old woman in Chachi 420 to playing 10 different characters in Dasavathaaram, the actor has done it all. His innovative acting has earned him the title of "the first, and perhaps the last, complete hero in Indian Cinema". He is the only actor who has received a Best Actor award and a Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination for the same film Saagar at The Filmfare Awards.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal's success didn't stop here. He became the first Indian actor to get Rs 1 crore as his remuneration for a single film in 1994. Before him, it was Rajesh Khanna who was the highest paid Indian actor from 1970-1987. Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan was also the highest paid Indian actor along with Rajesh Khanna from 1980-87. Haasan became the highest paid actor from 1988-1998. He shared the same status with another south actor Rajnikanth from 1999-2013. After doing super hit Hindi films Kamal Haasan left Mumbai. In an interview with Times of India, the actor revealed the reason behind quitting Bollywood, "At the time of Saagar, I had done 109 films. Had I hung around here, I wouldn't have completed 215 till date," said Kamal.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan has worked in several languages besides Hindi and has also won several accolades for the same. The south star has acted in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Hindi films. The actor, who is best remembered for films like Ek Duuje Ke Liye, Sadma, Pushpak, Appu Raja and Saagar to name a few, has had an illustrious career. The actor's list of recognition and awards doesn't end here. In fact, Kamal Haasan is the one and only actor to have bagged more than 18 Filmfare awards. It is also said that Kamal Haasan is a huge fan of Ilayaraja and always ropes him as the composer for all his home productions.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser Known facts

Kamal Haasan, despite having a celebrated film career, faced a lot of problems in his personal life. Both his marriages failed. In 1978, Kamal Haasan first got married to dancer Vani Ganapathy. She was a costume designer for her husband's films. They divorced 10 years after their marriage.
Haasan then got into a relationship with actress Sarika. They began living together in 1988. Kamal Haasan and Sarika married only after the birth of their second child. Sarika stopped acting soon after their marriage, replacing Ganapathy as Kamal Haasan's costume designer for Hey Ram. But trouble soon started brewing between the couple and they filed for divorce in 2002. The divorce was then finalized in 2004.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan in not in touch with both his ex wives. In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, the actor talked in length about marriage and him not being in touch with his ex wives Vani Ganapathy and Sarika, "No. The parting wasn't smooth in either case. I was too much in love for an amicable settlement. I am sure it wasn't easy for my wives either. Marriage is not a film you can forget if it flops. I felt scarred," said the actor. When asked if he saw the break-up's coming, Kamal said, "I saw them coming. Sarika and I were married for 17 years. And I knew the marriage wouldn't last 12 years before we parted ways. Although we kept pulling on. I thought it would affect the children. I waited for them to come of age. Both your marriages didn't succeed."

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, the actor also said that he didn't believe in marriage. "I never believed in marriage. People marry because of peer pressure but I don't subscribe to the 'herd mentality.' I shouldn't have married. I married for the convenience of my women. Vani wouldn't live-in and I wasn't strong enough to put my foot down. And the society was such that Sarika and I couldn't book a hotel room together even after we had two daughters. When asked if his current partner Gouthami ever pressurized him to get married to her, he said, "Never. She is very different. She is a very progressive lady, and not just to please me."

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Apart from having tried different looks in his films, Kamal Haasan was also known for doing innovative action scenes. He did many daredevil stunts for his film Abhay that released in 2001. The actor did bungee jumping, severely injuring his back. Haasan was hugely inspired by action star Jackie Chan. When the international star visited India for the first time for the audio launch of Hassan's Dasavatharam in April 2008, Haasan had revealed that he was a huge fan of Chan, and admitted at the audio launch that he had tried emulating Jackie Chan's stunts during his career, resulting in 32 fractures to his body.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

The veteran actor, who has had tumultuous personal life has courted some controversies during his career. But not many are aware of the fact that on April 27, 2002, Kamal Haasan was detained at the Toronto airport and was denied boarding his flight to L.A. because he had an Arab name/look and was considered a potential terrorist.

He was the original choice for Ghayal: Rajkumar Santoshi, who went on to make Sunny Deol's two big hits Ghayal and Ghatak wrote both the films keeping Kamal Haasan in mind. However, according to reports, due to no producer willing to back the film, he changed the star cast.

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Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

​This is how Shruti Haasan reacted on her father Kamal Haasan quitting movie career for politics

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser Known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Kamal Haasan: Lesser known facts

Start a Conversation

This is how Shruti Haasan reacted on her father Kamal Haasan quitting movie career for politics